The present invention relates to a combined photo album and picture frame and an easel therefor.
Several types of multi-purpose albums are known. However, these known albums either lay flat (i.e., have no support), or have a support attached to the exterior of the album or a separate, bulky support. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,799 to Spertus discloses a picture-frame album which may be supported in a vertically inclined position by an easel. However, the easel is affixed to the rear of the picture-frame album by gluing or any other suitable manner. Thus, although this known picture-frame album includes an easel, the easel is merely attached to the exterior of the picture-frame album and accordingly, is exposed to wear and tear.
Another known multi-purpose album which uses a non-attached or non-integral support element to display a framed picture on a flat, horizontal surface is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,195 to Lu. In this multi-purpose album, a complicated procedure of removing screws and the front and back cover is required in order to form a picture frame. Moreover, since the supporting frame is not a part of the multi-purpose album, the supporting frame is usually separate from the album and thus is easily lost. This is especially true in that the photo album must be dismantled to form the picture frame which uses the separate supporting frame.
An album used as a picture frame and a mirror is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,354 to Kwon. However, the support employed in Kwon's album is physically attached to the exterior of the frame walls. Thus, this support or cover which pivots about a hinge formed in the album frame is also subject to outside forces and may be broken off rendering the picture frame unusable.
Thus, known combination picture frame and photo albums do not provide a safe, secure place for holding an easel while it is not in use.